Elizabeth Keating will spend six years behind bars for the January attempted aggrevated murder of Debra Dickens.

Thursday, July 26, 2001

Elizabeth Keating will spend six years behind bars for the January attempted aggrevated murder of Debra Dickens.

This morning, retired Scioto County Judge Everett Burton imposed the three year minimum sentence for attempted aggravated murder and the three years required for the gun specification charge. He also imposed a one-year sentence for each of the five Class IV felony counts and nine month sentences for each of the four Felony V counts. The Class IV and Class V felony sentences will be served concurrently with the attempted aggravated murder and gun specification sentences.

The judge also stipulated Keating make restitution to the victim. So far, that amount has not been determined.

Keating will be credited for time she has already served in jail – about 7 months.

Defense attorney Mark McCown said the sentence was "what we expected." He said because Keating did not have a prior criminal history and there is little chance for a repeat offense, she deserved the minimum sentence.

County Prosecuting Attorney J.B. Collier, Jr. said he originally recommended a sentence of 8 to 10 years. Collier said he did not know what the sentence was going to be before entering the courtroom, saying the sentencing was at the discretion of Burton.

"As a Prosecuting Attorney," Collier said, "all I can do is get a conviction."

He added that although a plea agreement was made with Keating – a deal that yielded the guilty plea she entered during a hearing June 26 in exchange for no further criminal charges stemming from her business partnership with M&M Realty – he did not make a deal on the sentence.

Keating remained silent during the proceeding, only answering the judge’s direct questions.